The Governing Council of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) has cleared the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Abayomi Fasina, of allegations of sexual harassment and corrupt practices levelled against him by a female Deputy Director, Folasade Adebayo
This is contained in a statement issued by the university and signed by its registrar, Mufutau Ibrahim, noting that the decision was taken at the council’s 8th extraordinary meeting, held on 8 April.
Mr Ibrahim, who doubled as the secretary to the governing council, said the resolutions followed deliberations on the reports of investigative committees constituted over publications credited to the leadership of the university’s branch of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), alleging the VC of sexually harassing one of its members.
Dissatisfied by the council’s decision, SSANU has called for its immediate dissolution, citing a lack of integrity in handling serious allegations against the university’s VC.
According to the union, the actions of the council, “which is supposed to serve as a beacon of leadership and ethics, have compromised the reputation of both the university and the broader educational system.”
Background
In 2023, a series of audio recordings obtained by DevReporting revealed troubling interactions between Mr Fasina, a Professor of Soil Science, and Mrs Adebayo, an engineer.
The recordings, which went viral, contain disturbing conversations where Mr Fasina made sexual advances towards Mrs Adebayo.
Conversation between the duo revealed that Mr Fasina’s inappropriate behaviour began after Mrs Adebayo, originally stationed at the Ikole campus, was invited to join the management team on the main campus.
Unknown to her, the invitation was allegedly driven by the vice-chancellor’s personal motives, with his advances reportedly becoming more overt over time.
Despite Mrs Adebayo’s clear rejection, Mr Fasina continued to pressure her, disregarding her marital status and the professional boundaries between them.
Despite the overwhelming evidence presented through the audio recordings, and documents indicating unwarranted punishements, the governing council of FUOYE cleared Mr Fasina of any sexual harassment allegations.
According to the statement by the registrar Mr Fasina was asked to recuse himself from the meeting to allow “free and open deliberation” on the report of the investigative panel.
Council members reportedly listened to audio recordings with the help of a translator. However, the statement confirmed that the recordings were not subjected to forensic examination.
Despite this, the council concluded that there was ‘no case of sexual harassment’, reaffirming a prior investigation by the Nigeria Police, in which Adebayo had reportedly stated that she was not harassed.
Council alleges blackmail
The council said it strongly condemned the act of secretly recording the VC, describing it as a deliberate attempt to blackmail him into confirming Mrs Adebayo as substantive Director of Works, a position the council said he had no authority to approve.
It said Mrs Adebayo’s tenure as acting director had expired, contrary to claims that she was removed from office.
The council further noted that at no time did Mrs Adebayo formally submit a complaint of sexual harassment against Mr Fasina.
Warning
At the meeting, Mrs Adebayo was directed to write a letter of apology to the council within seven days, even as she was chided for allegedly bringing the university’s name into disrepute.
The council also criticised the university management for backdating Mrs Adebayo’s promotion to 2015 instead of 2024, describing the move as preferential treatment and directed that the decision be reviewed.
The university management was formally warned and asked to avoid a repeat.
Advisory for VC, new policy
Though cleared of any wrongdoing, the council directed that the VC be advised in writing to be more careful and circumspect in dealing with subordinates.
The council said it would develop policies to address cyberbullying, social media use, and broader public and community relations.
It also condemned the practice of recording individuals without their knowledge, describing it as inconsistent with the values of an academic environment.
Possible reconciliation
To restore peace, the council said it would set up a peace and reconciliation committee, as well as organise onboarding and reorientation programmes for new and existing staff.
It also directed that advertisements be made for the substantive roles of Director of Physical Planning and Director of Works and Services.
Additionally, two union leaders, Benjamin Faleye and Ayomikun Aluko of SSANU FUOYE branch, who had earlier been suspended for misconduct, were found culpable but had their suspensions lifted.
However, they are to forfeit their withheld salaries during the suspension period and that they must submit letters of apology within seven days.
Other Council decisions
The council also addressed issues surrounding the internal review process for promotions to professorial cadre, using a case involving Ngozi Ole, a PhD holder from the Faculty of Law. Weaknesses in the current system were acknowledged while reforms were proposed.
In a separate matter, the council cleared two former members, Abdullah Jibrin, and Alkali Kolo, of allegations that they collected bribes during appointments of the university’s registrar and bursar.
Fairness compromised – SSANU
Meanwhile, in its reaction to the council’s decision, SSANU said it is not shocked and had anticipated the outcome.
The National Vice President and Chairman of Western zone of the union, Abdussobur Salaam, in a statement on Thursday, said the council had by its decision laid a bad precedent and a new low for the Nigerian university system with “the grasp at straws in the desperate attempt to protect the villain while further victimising the victim.”
According to the association, asking the VC to recuse himself at the council meeting to present it as being fair and just in taking its decisions, smacks of an attempt to pull wool over the eyes of the public, noting that the investigation did not begin and end on that day.
The statement reads in part: “This is the reason why we had maintained that the continued stay in office of the vice chancellor during the pendency of the investigation would compromise the fairness of the process. We have not been proven wrong.
“The council, with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as its chairman, should have known that an investigation panel is a process and not an event. This process began over four months ago and SSANU has enough reason to assert that the process had been compromised within that period.
“That the council acknowledged the existence of audio recordings between the VC and Adebayo gladdens our hearts. But we are taken aback by the fact that the recordings were not subjected to any forensic evaluation. Rather than focus on the contents of the recordings, the council attempted to gaslight the public by querying why the recordings were made and concluding it was for the purpose of blackmail”.
The association criticised the council for not querying the spate of queries that followed the rejection of the offer by Mr Fashina in his alleged bid to intimidate Mrs Adebayo into submission.
It added: “We are also further disappointed that the council did not see anything wrong in a conversation where the VC compromised and impugned other principal officers of the university, especially the registrar and bursar, in a bid to sweet talk Adebayo to accept his advances. Is this how morally depraved and unconscionable we have become as a society?
“The attempt to condemn the recording of the conversation is similar to condemning a house owner for recording an attempt by armed robbers or burglars to enter his house. A council representing the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and visitor to FUOYE should be constituted of men and women of integrity.
“Unfortunately, the present council has failed the integrity test and their continued stay in office puts a big question mark on the commitment of the present Government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to renew hope in our educational institutions.
“The reference to an investigation report by the Nigeria Police Force purportedly absolving Professor Abayomi Fashina of sexual harassment is quite unfortunate because the investigation over which Professor Fashina was invited by the Special Fraud Unit was not on an allegation of sexual harassment but on allegations of fraud, illegal diversion of funds and financial infractions.
“Moreso, the Special Fraud Unit is not an arm of the Nigeria Police charged with a mandate to investigate sexual offences. To further claim that Engineer Folashade Adebayo never made any complaint of sexual harassment against Professor Abayomi Sunday Fashina is a barefaced and brazen lie.”
In view of what it described as ‘compromised decisions’ of the council, SSANU said it rejected the various sanctions meted out to Adebayo for allegedly bringing the name of the institution into disrepute.
SSANU said it also rejected the sanctions of the Chairman and Secretary of the Branch, Benjamin Faleye and Ayomikun Aluko, who were being punished for being whistle-blowers.
“The council’s suggestion of being gracious in its decision on the duo insults our intelligence as their decision is nothing but vindictive. The motive of demanding for letters apologies within a seven-day frame is not lost on us, as the intent is to automatically dismiss them from service if this is not done, and knowing quite well that as unionists, they would not succumb to apologising for an offence not committed.”
SSANU has therefore called on the the government to immediately dissolve the university’s governing council for allegedly lacking in integrity, “not being able to provide a moral compass, compromising ethical standards and jeopardising the renewed hope agenda of the present administration.”
It also requested that an independent panel be set up to investigate the gross miscarriage of justice, with Mr Fashina placed on suspension until the end of the process.
